Oral Roberts Dies

Story at KOKI FOX 23

Jack Hayford:

“If God had not, in His sovereign will, raised up the ministry of Oral Roberts, the entire charismatic movement might not have occurred. Oral shook the landscape with the inescapable reality and practicality of Jesus’ whole ministry. His teaching and concepts were foundational to the renewal that swept through the whole church. He taught concepts that spread throughout the world and simplified and focused a spiritual lifestyle that is embraced by huge sectors of today’s church.”

Discussion

There seems to be a bit more discernment in the world than in Christian circles used to tolerating compromise and false teachings: Tulsa World has the following guest books that host people’s responses to Oral’s passing:

[URL=http://www.tulsaworld.com/oralguestbook] Guest book[/URL]

[URL=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=2009…] Read What People are saying
[/URL]

Besides Jack Hayford, [URL=http://www.billygraham.org/News_Article.asp?ArticleID=744] Billy and Franklin Graham have praised his legacy[/URL] , calling Oral a “man of God.”

[J Ng] There seems to be a bit more discernment in the world than in Christian circles used to tolerating compromise and false teachings: Tulsa World has the following guest books that host people’s responses to Oral’s passing:

[URL=http://www.tulsaworld.com/oralguestbook] Guest book[/URL]

[URL=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=2009…] Read What People are saying
[/URL]

Besides Jack Hayford, [URL=http://www.billygraham.org/News_Article.asp?ArticleID=744] Billy and Franklin Graham have praised his legacy[/URL] , calling Oral a “man of God.”
Oral will have to stand before God like the rest of us. He considered himself a servant of God so let us avoid being guilty of judging another man’s servant.
He had his flaws like the rest of us and if we we were held to similar public dissection by the world and fellow christians then how would we fare?
I hope God will find plenty of works of gold when his works are tried in the fire.
You state that the world seems more discerning than many christians but let those same critics turn their fire on fundamentalists and you would view their ability to discern with less respect.

Richard Pajak

I think it’s usually possible to focus criticism mainly on the ideas. What did he teach? But of course, what a man does teaches also. So it gets complex. But a good rule of thumb when we’re gearing up to write/say something critical is “How can I express this in a way that is likely to be listened to seriously by those who need it most?” (as opposed to those who already agree). The answer almost always involves saying it a less heated, shrill or smug way.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.